Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah
be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ()
said to me:

"Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.''

[At-Tirmidhi]

Introduction

Tajweed ( ﺗﺠﻮﻳﺪ )
is an Arabic word meaning
correct pronunciation during recitation. It is a set of rules which
dictate how the Qur'an should be read. It comes from the root word 'ja-wa-da'
meaning to make well, make better or improve.

The Arabic word translated as 'slow, measured rythmic' is TARTEEL. The
tafseer of the above ayat according to Ibn Kathir is 'recite the Qur'an slowly,
making the letters clear, for this is an assistance in understanding and
pondering the meaning of the Qur'an.'

The teaching used in this website is
Hafs 'An 'Aasim by the way of
Shaatibiyyah
()
For a detailed insight into the different qiraat, here are some recommended
links

Why the need for tajweed rules?

When Islam was being spread (and it was done so at a very quick pace and also
into non-Arab speaking countries) not everyone's tongue was accustomed to the
Arabic letters and sounds. Thus, when reciting the Qur'an, much error and distortion
occurred and the Muslim scholars feared (the perpetration of) that error and
distortion.

It was at this point that some of them recorded the rules and foundations
that regulate the correct pronunciation of Qur'an, and they named this the
Science of Tajweed.

The rules were not made up by these Scholars. In fact, all they did was
closely observe the perfect readers who read as they were taught by the Prophet
() and wrote down for later generations the rules of recitation of the
earlier generations.

From the outset, Tajweed was a Science that cannot be learnt only from a book
and will always retain this inherent quality.

The most important part of Tajweed is learning about correct positions of the
organs of speech and the manner of articulation. The Qur'an can lose its meaning
if the letters are not pronounced correctly.

E.g

ﻛﻠﺐ
Dog

The first letters are similar in pronunciation, but if
not pronounced correctly will change the word/meaning completely

ﻗﻠﺐ
Heart

Tajweed is not intended to be about just learning rules and committing them to
memory, but rather the correct application of those rules while reciting the
Qur'an.

When 'tajweed' is observed, the reading will flow smoothly and eloquently.
The reader will also be sure he is following the holy Prophet's () example by
reciting the Qur'an just as the Prophet () did and just as it was revealed to
him - InshaAllah. Failure to adhere to those rules may result in an unacceptable
manner of reading, altering the entire meaning of the words and making one
guilty of the unintentional utterance of the words of disbelief (kufr).
Incorrect recital of the Qur'an constitutes LAHN, which may deprive the reader
of any reward in the Hereafter, and Allah () Knows Best.

Click here to see a printable image depicting the line of revelation
of the Holy Quran

Definitions

Tajweed linguistically - to improve and make better

Tajweed technically - the correct recitation of the Qur'an that is
achieved by giving each letter its due (using the organs of speech) through: